March Madness: 10 shining moments in Final Four history

1. Kris Jenkins wins the title for Villanova at the buzzer

It takes a lot to top the most watched game in college basketball history, and Villanova’s 2016 championship takes the cake. Not only did the Wildcats stun North Carolina to win a national championship, but they also did it with a true buzzer-beater.

Villanova had been a perennial tournament team under coach Jay Wright, but they had also become an annual disappointment, losing in the Round of 32 or earlier in five consecutive tournament appearances. The Wildcats broke through in 2016 and got to the title game, but few expected them to beat the Tar Heels.

North Carolina emerged late in the season as a title threat, winning the ACC Tournament to snag a 1-seed and cruising straight into the matchup with Villanova, never winning by less than 14 points in the tournament. The Tar Heels built a five-point lead at the break, but Villanova came out strong in the second half, holding a three-point advantage in the final seconds.

For a minute it looked like North Carolina point guard Marcus Paige would have his own Chalmers-like moment, nailing an off-balance three with 4.7 seconds to go to tie the game at 74. Villanova then took the ball and tried going the length of the floor with Ryan Arcidiacono, who ran into defenders near the arc.

Arcidiacono then dropped the ball off to Kris Jenkins, who calmly sank the winning three pointer as time expired to bring the title back to Villanova for the first time since they upset Georgetown in 1985. Legendary Wildcats’ coach Massimino was in the stands for this game too, bringing Villanova’s basketball history full circle in a March Madness moment we will never forget.